Furnace for oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen



A. U. AVERA.

FURNACE FOR OXIDATION OF ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26.1921.

1 A29,01 8. Patented Sept. 12, 1922.,

I. B 2 g igh tensor: static" connection f (l /Joke coil W A. C, power connect/hm :I:

High tension Islatl'd connecf Out gomq gases Insulating bushing in tube General path of electn'c Power are Ou going I 1 5:;-

ar u t b P s h n shown dotted.

,SOIflaicL winding to pull core down C'ho/re coil Ac, Power c0 nnecflbn Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES ARCH U. AVERA, OF FLORENCE, ALABAMA.

FURNACE FOR OXIDATION OF ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN.

Application filed March 26, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARCH UPSHAW AVERA, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at cit-y of Florence, county of Lauderdale, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnaces for Oxidation of Atmospheric Nitrogen, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyin drawing.

M y invention relates to means for oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen, and has for its object the production of an improved process and apparatus for this purpose. I attain my object by using an electric arc, with the assistance of the influence of'static electrical stress imposed on the gases as they pass around the arc.

The equipment consists essentially of an apparatus as shown and described in the accompanying drawin in which the figure is a vertical axial section. The alternating current power connections are arranged to be connected to a source of power the voltage of which may be adjusted between about 100 and 5,000 depending on the size furnace supplied. The foil submerged in the insulating oil and placed in close contact with the glass, quartz or porcelain tube, is connected to one pole of a source of high potential, high frequency static electricity. The other side of this source of static electricity is connected to the ingoing pipe at the same point as the power connection marked F.

The metal cooling coil submerged in the insulating oil is for the transfer to the outside of heat generated by the high tension arc, which forms in the porcelain tube and outside the metallic pipe carrying ingoing am The support of the oil tank contains a movable plunger marked iron core around which is an exciting solenoid energized by direct current. When the direct current is not flowin in this coil a helical spring pushes the lron core up until it rests against the ingoing air pipe, thus making electrical contact with same. At the time the solenoid is energized the iron core is pulled down and held in the open position shown on the drawing.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: Air under a certain pressure is passed in at the top of the vertical central pipe, flows down the pipe and up the outside chamber formed by the inside pipe and the verts back to its elements.

Serial No. 455,893.

nected as above described and tends to cause the air passing through the tube to become charged or ionized. Now the alternating potential is thrown on the points marked A. 0. power connect-ions. At the same instant a source of direct current is connected to the solenoid in the base by a relay or other means, causing the iron core to be drawn down and thus forming an are between the metal tube carrying the ingoing air and the metal base supporting the lower end of the glass, quartz or porcelain tube. The swift passage of air up the outside chamber draws this are up into a steady flame which oxidizes a portion of the atmospheric nitrogen into an oxide of nitrogen. In the meantime, the effect of the static electricity is to use the arc flame as one pole a ainst the metal foil outside the tube as t e other. This gives a condition where the oxidizing action of the arc on the atmospheric nitrogen is augmented and supplemented by the ionization of the air molecules by the effect of the static electricity on it.

It is a well known fact that nitrogen is oxidized in the electric are up to a fairly high per cent but that the reaction is reversible, so that as soon as the temperature decreases a portion of the nitric oxide re- It is also known that if the react-ion can be executed at temperature below a certain point that the oxide remains fixed. The result obtained with this furnace is to carry on the reaction at such a low temperature as to be able to save most of the oxide formed and to use the enlivening effect of the static charge between the arc itself and the metallic foil to intensify the reaction. This combination of static electricity and the chilled are for formation of an oxide of nitrogen I believe to be new.

I claim:

1. The method of oxidizing atmospheric nitrogen which consists in exposing the same to the effect of an electric arc and a static charge simultaneously.

2. The method described in claim 1, with the added step of carrying away a portion of the heat generated by the arc.

3. The method of oxidizing atmospheric nitrogen WhlCh consists in exposing the same simultaneously to the effect of an electric arc and to a controllable ionizing effect set up by the static influence exerted between the arc itself and an area outside the space between the are electrodes.

4. An apparatus of the class described comprising a pair of separable are electrodes within an air passage, a static pole outside said passage, a source of energy for the arc, and a source of high frequency potential connected to the said static pole and to a pole within the path of the are.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 3, with the additional feature of cooli .g means.

6. An apparatus of the class described comprising arc electrodes in an air passage, and separate electric means for ionizing the air as it is exposed to the action of the arc.

7. An apparatus of the class described comprising arc electrodes within an air passage, and means to produce a controllable ionizing efl'ect comprising a body outside said air passage or combustion area so related to the are that a. definite static influence may be exerted between the two.

8. An apparatus of the class described comprising a combustion tube, are electrodes therein, a conducting coating on the outside of said tube, and means for passing air through said tube While exposing the same to the combined effects of the arc and a definite static influence exerted between the are itself and said coating.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARCH U. AVERA. 

